Brake for go-cart



y 1966 R. L. HOLLOWAY 3,250,347

BRAKE FOR GO-CART Original Filed June '7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet lxNvENi'oR ROBERT L. HOLLOWAY g g wk ATT NEY May 10, 1966 R. L. HOLLOWAYBRAKE FOR (IO-CART 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June '7, 1960INVENTOR ROBERT L. HOLLOWAY United States Patent 3,250,347 BRAKE FORGO-CART Robert L. Holloway, Snyder, N.Y., assiguor to American Machine &Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application June7, 1960, Ser. No. 34,506, now Patent No. 3,169,597, dated Feb. 16, 1965.Divided and this application June 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,061

2 Claims. (Cl. 188-29) This is a division of application Serial No.34,506, filed June 7,-1960, now US. Patent No. 3,169,597 grantedFebruary 16, 1965.

This invention relates generally to small automotive vehicles known ascarts, and more popularly as gocarts. More specifically, the inventionrelates to brakes for such vehicles.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved self cleaningbrake shoe, which is particularly well suited for use with slick ortreadless racing tires and is readily replaceable for different types oftires.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as thedescription of the particular embodiment selected to illustrate theinvention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, like characters of reference have been applied tocorresponding parts throughout the several views which make up thedrawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a go-cart which is adaptable for usewith the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional schematic arrangement of one embodiment of thedrive system of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one preferred designarrangement in accordance with the schematic of FIG. 2 and employing socalled scrubber brakes.

Like reference characters identify like parts in the above views.

A vehicle on which the drive of the invention may be mounted is shown inFIGURE 1. This vehicle consists of a frame having front wheels 12 and14, mounted thereon in any suitable manner, as on a front axle 16. Theframe has a rearwardly inclined portion 18 forming a back rest for thedriver, and rails 20, suitably elevated from the ground to a plane abovetubular frame 10 so as to form guards. Welded to frame 10 is forwardlyinclined U-frame 22 supporting steering column 24, which is inclinedupwardly and rearwardly, and has a steering wheel 26 secured to its freeend.

The other end of column 24 is connected to a tie rod 28 for turning thefront wheels. A front tubular bumper 30 is secured to the front axle 16.An engine 32 is secured to the vehicle by means of bracket 44, which issecured to the rear axle housing 54 and frame member 49. Tubular members34 and 36 are attached to rear axle housing 54 and back member 18 toprovide a rear 18.

The engine is preferably disposed in offset relation to the medial axisof the frame, but may be placed elsewhere, if desired. Suitably thisengine may be of the air cooled type. Mounted above the engine is fueltank 47. The crankshaft of the engine has a sprocket and centrifugalclutch keyed thereon, and is connected by means of an endless chain to asprocket 48 adjacent one of the rear wheels. The vehicle is alsoequipped with starting means (not shown) which may be of theconventional recoil starter type commonly employed on air cooled motors.

Foot brake pedal 50 is mounted on the front end of the vehicle, andbraking action is communicated to the rear wheels through brake rod 53mounted along the tubular frame. the lever of the brake pedal. The otherend is fastened to a suitable lever (not shown) on brake shaft 57 whichis mounted transversely of chassis 10 and having a lever extension 40 onwhich is mounted a removable tire ongaging member 59.

It has been found that when smooth racing tires are employed,conventional flat tire engaging members are sometimes ineffectivebecause stone, sand, etc., find their way between the tire and the tireengaging member, and thereby act as antifriction hearings in eifect.

I have found that the tire engaging member 59 shown in FIGURE 3 verysatisfactorily overcomes this deficiency. The tire engaging member 59shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 is made from a standard die spring which is ofsuch a length that when the washer 11 and the cap screw 13 are securedto the lever extension 42 it will be under compression between thewasher and the right angle bend of the extension 40, thus preventing itfrom rotating on lever 40.

It has been found that the spirals of the spring 59 provide a selfcleaning action and no antifriction effect is encountered because of thesand particles mentioned above.

When conventional knobby tires are employed then the spring member 59may be removed and replaced by a conventional smooth flat plate (notshown) which brakes against the tire being stopped, the treads of whichthen provide the self cleaning action.

In the foregoing description the term carting is frequently written inthe trade as karting but for consistency, I have spelled this ascarting.

It will also be appreciated that while this invention has filled a needin the carting field, it can also be advantageously employed on avariety of vehicles, as for example, golf carts, lawn mowers, andsimilar vehicles.

The invention hereinabove described may therefore be varied inconstruction within the scope of the claims, for the particular deviceselected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possibleembodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to berestricted tothe precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cart type vehicle having a chassis and wheels, a brakecomprising a member having wheel-engaging rib portions, said ribportions substantially lying in a plane extending at an angle transverseto the plane of the wheel, and means for moving said member into and outof engagement with one of said wheels.

2. In a cart type vehicle having a chassis and wheels, a brakecomprising a wheel-engaging member in the shape of a helical coil, andmeans for moving said member into and out of engagement with a wheel,said mem ber being substantially non-rotatable during said engagemerit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 767,299 8/1904MacDonald et al 188-19 1,386,120 8/1921 Kuennet-h 188-74 1,998,2364/1935 Herold 188-74 2,944,636 7/1960 Rockwell 188-29 MILTON BUSHLER,Primary Examiner.

DUANE A. REGER, ARTHUR L. LA POINT,

' Examiners.

The front end of the rod is secured to

1. IN A CART TYPE HAVING A CHASSIS AND WHEELS, A BRAKE COMPRISING AMEMBER HAVING WHEEL-ENGAGING RIB PORTIONS, SAID RIB PORTIONSSUBSTANTIALLY LYING IN A PLANE EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE TRANSVERSE TO THEPLANE OF THE WHEEL, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MEMBER INTO AND OUT OFENGAGEMENT WITH ONE OF SAID WHEELS.